Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is a darling in the points and miles world and today they announced changes for 2025 that make the program even better! From elite status qualifying earn on award flights to new milestone rewards to multi-carrier award redemptions, the program will continue to be one to watch out for, even for many us of here in Canada.
Achieving Elite Status will be easier thanks to status earning on award flights and non-flight partners!
The 2025 updates to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan will see the program make it easier to achieve elite status thanks to expanded elite status earning opportunities.
Earn Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMS) on Award travel redemptions
Quite possibly a first in the industry, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan will begin to award Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMS) on all award flight redemptions made in the program, including those on partner airlines as of January 1, 2025
When members fly on an award trip with us or our global partners, they’ll earn elite-qualifying miles based on the distance flown. All award trips flown on or after Jan. 1, 2025, will earn EQMs. We’ll begin posting those EQMs to members’ accounts starting this spring.
For example, a guest redeems a roundtrip award ticket between Seattle and Tokyo-Narita which covers 9,538 miles. That translates to earning 9,538 EQMs – a sizable leap toward attaining elite status or the next milestone
This is big for all regular users of the Mileage Plan program – whether it’s for frequent flyers or those buying Alaska Miles with their frequent bonuses, being able to earn status on the award flights adds a whole new dimension to the program and gives more value to earning or buying Mileage Plan miles.
It is even big news for those of us here in Canada as Mileage Plan redemptions on Porter Airlines are on the horizon. Alaska Airlines still states Porter Airlines will be added as a redemption partner in 2024 so the timing will be perfect for the 2025 program updates. Even if the redemption option is pushed into early 2025 the ability to redeem Mileage Plan miles on Porter and earn elite status EQMs on those flights is a very exciting proposition!
Earn Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) with non-airline partners
Also beginning on January 1, 2025, Mileage Plan members will earn 1,000 EQMs for every 3,000 miles earned with their eligible non-airline partners. This includes hotel stays with Coast Hotels and Marriott just to name a few, car rentals with Hertz, Thrifty and other plus online shopping via the Mileage Plan Shopping (great for those ordering from U.S. retailers), and crediting Lyft rides to Mileage Plan. Rightfully excluded are points transfers from credit card and hotel partners.
Rollover EQMs as a milestone choice
When you hit the 85,000 Elite Qualifying Miles level you will receive the option to roll over 10,000 EQMs to the following year.
New Milestone Rewards for all members (not just elites!)
The next change to the program for 2025 is the introduction of Milestone Rewards for all Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members – not just elites! How is this so? Well, the first Milestone Reward that can be earned comes at earning 10,000 EQMs while actual elite status is not achieved until you earn 20,000 EQMs
The Milestone Rewards are as follows:
10,000 Miles Milestone
- 750 bonus miles
- Pre-order a complimentary meal for your flight
- One (1) complimentary Wi-Fi pass
- Try MVP status for a trip
- Earn double miles with non-air partners
- Upgrade your next Avis rental
30,000 Miles Milestone
- 2,500 bonus miles
- $25 off a future Alaska flight
- Four (4) Wi-Fi passes
- Try MVP Gold status for a trip
- $100 off an Alaska Lounge membership
55,000 Miles Milestone
- 5,000 bonus miles
- 10,000 miles off an Extras redemption
- Gift MVP for a trip
- One (1) complimentary Lounge day pass
- Two (2) upgrade certificates
85,000 Miles Milestone
- 15,000 bonus miles
- 25,000 miles off an Extras redemption
- Two (2) complimentary Lounge day passes
- Two (2) upgrade certificates
- Gift MVP Gold status for a trip
- Nominate someone for MVP status
- 10,000 elite-qualifying miles rolled over
150,000 Miles Milestone
- 15,000 bonus miles
- 25,000 off an Extras redemption
- Two (2) complimentary Lounge passes
- Two (2) upgrade certificates
- 10,000 elite-qualifying miles rolled over
150,000 / 200,000 / 250,000 Miles Milestone
- 15,000 bonus miles
- 25,000 off an Extras redemption
- Two (2) complimentary Lounge passes
- Two (2) upgrade certificates
- 10,000 elite-qualifying miles rolled over
New earning and redeeming option including multi-carrier redemptions
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has been simplified the earn and burn options in the program over the past year by standardizing the mileage earn rates across all airline partners and by creating award charts for Alaska flights and one for partner flights. When those changes were made they also announced multi-carrier redemptions, which according to this latest update will launch sometime this winter:
Rolling out this winter, members can mix and match from our global partners to travel around the world. For example, a journey can combine an American Airlines flight and a British Airways flight for a dream trip to Rome. We’ll begin multi-carrier redemptions on flights between the U.S. and Europe, and then expand to other regions and partners throughout next year.
Also coming in 2025 will be the option to redeem miles for exclusive experiences and events. There are not many details on this but it will most likely be very similar to something like Marriott Bonvoy moments.
Updates to Upgrades
Later in 2025 Alaska Airlines will be rolling out the following updates to upgrades provided to elite status members:
- Million Milers will receive the highest priority within their tier. After Million Milers, guests will be prioritized by how many elite-qualifying miles they’ve earned – not by how much they paid for their ticket.
- With these changes, a guest with an MVP member will now be eligible for complimentary, space-available upgrades when traveling on the same reservation.
- Members with upgrade certificates will also be the first to know when confirmable upgrade space opens for their flight. We’ll send them an alert so they won’t miss out.
Wrapping it up
Alaska Airlines will be upping the ante in the frequent flyer space with their 2025 Mileage Plan program changes! They are making it easier to achieve status thanks to expanded EQM earning opportunities including on all award flights, they are adding Milestone Rewards which even non-elite members can receive and the should be implemented their multi-carrier award redemptions very soon! These changes are significant, even for the Canadian market given Alaska’s partnerships with Porter Airlines, Coast Hotels, Hertz, Marriott and more will make earning those Milestone Rewards and elite status in the program relatively easy!
Click here to learn more about the 2025 update to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Images via Alaska Airlines